The Broncos have built their 5-0 record on a few late-game surges, including the deflected pass that turned into the 87-yard touchdown for the win in Cincinnati in the season opener.

And a big part of those strong finishes has been quarterback Kyle Orton. He’s taken his share of heat since coming to the Broncos for basically not being Jay Cutler, but it’s hard to argue with the late-game numbers so far.

Overall, Orton is the 10th-ranked passer in the league with a rating of 97.4. Passer rating gives a lot of weight to yards per attempt, completion percentage and touchdowns while penalizing heavily for interceptions.

So his last-play heave that Randy Moss intercepted Sunday just before halftime dinged him a little bit. But more than likely it’s his 7.49 yards per attempt that is pulling him down when compared to Peyton Manning’s 9.09 yards per attempt or Eli Manning’s 8.98 yards per attempt.

Statistically, those are big differences and an indication those teams have made more big plays in the passing game overall, either catch-and-run plays or deep down the field, than the Broncos have.

But look at the fourth-quarter passer rating and Orton is No. 2, behind only Eli Manning of the undefeated Giants. Manning is at a staggering 147.5 rating with three fourth-quarter touchdown passes on 20-of-27 passing in the quarter.

Orton has a fourth-quarter passer rating of 138.7, also with three fourth-quarter touchdowns and no interceptions. His 12.22 yards per attempt in the fourth quarter, helped some by the play in Cincinnati, also leads the league, showing the Broncos are getting some big plays as well, since anything above 8.5 yards per attempt is considered moving the ball down the field in the passing game.

MONTREAL — It’s a big deal to play or coach hockey in Montreal and Toronto, and for first-year Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, it’s bound to be extra special because it will be his first time in those historic Original Six markets. Indeed, the Canadian native from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, has never been to the Bell Centre or Air Canada Centre — where...

Shortly before the season began, Holmes, who had been dealing with a nagging hip since September, finally went in to get an X-ray to get the injury addressed. That X-ray revealed a mass on his hip, and following a biopsy, doctors diagnosed Holmes with Osteosarcoma.